1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to mounting structure for positioning and holding a reflector trim within a lamp housing of a downlighting fixture or similar lighting fixture, the invention particularly relating to an inexpensive pull-on clip of improved structure which can be rapidly assembled onto a reflector trim for mounting of the trim within a lamp housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Downlighting provides a flexibility not available with most other categories of lighting due to the ability to employ a variety of fixtures intended for downlight purposes to lighting situations which range from ambient to accent to wall-washing and the like. Where desired, downlighting can also be used in task lighting applications. The flexibility of downlighting is not limited to use situations but also extends to appearance and even to the use of a variety of differing lamp choices in most downlighting fixtures. With cost always a consideration in any lighting choice, it becomes necessary to provide downlighting fixtures which can be inexpensively manufactured and installed with the least intensive labor use while providing the most optimal lighting performance. Lighting fixtures so configured must also be easily and rapidly installable not only by relatively skilled labor such as in new construction but also by relatively unskilled labor such as by a home owner in a retrofit situation. Downlighting fixtures comprising varying xe2x80x9crough-inxe2x80x9d structures are common in the marketplace and vary in complexity and cost. Such fixtures are manufactured and marketed by Lithonia Lighting of Conyers, Ga., Lithonia Lighting being a part of the Lithonia Lighting Group which is a division of National Service Industries, Inc. of Atlanta, Ga. In these fixtures as in downlighting fixtures produced by others, an intent has been the manufacture of effective fixtures having the best possible performance at the least possible fixture cost and the least possible involvement of installation labor. Fixtures having these desirable characteristics must include structure insertable into a lamp housing or xe2x80x9ccanxe2x80x9d and which will positively secure lamping, a reflector trim with or without a baffle and a lamp socket within the can with positive lamp positioning and with positioning of the reflector trim snugly against a ceiling hole such that a gap does not exist between the trim and peripheral edge portions of the ceiling which surround the ceiling hole. While relatively complex and expensive mechanisms can be and are employed in at least some downlighting fixtures to produce the necessary results, the achievement of such results inexpensively and with mechanical simplicity is less than commonplace in the industry. Desirable mechanical simplicity in the industry now extends even to the very insertion of a reflector trim and lamp socket assembly into the can, standard practices in the industry essentially requiring the ability to insert such an assembly into the can in a single motion with concurrent fitting of annular flange-like portions of the tri about the ceiling hole above which the fixture is operatively mounted. In the prior art, clip-like structures riveted to the reflector trim have been used to hold the trim and socket assemblies within a can. These prior clip structures have generally required assembly to trim reflectors in a manufacturing environment and could not be reasonably attached on the job site. Clip attachment to reflector trim in the manufacturing environment further allows shipment of trim to a job site to be inefficient due to the bulky nature of reflector trim having preattached assembly clips, each trim being incapable of packaging in a nesting relation to each other such as will be possible if clips could be installed easily and rapidly on the job site. A clip capable of functioning in the manner described is disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,143 and provides an improved mechanism for mounting a reflector trim or a reflector trim and lamp socket assembly within a lamp housing or can to achieve the results and economies alluded to herein. It is to be noted that Blaisdell et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,679; Basile, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,344; and Zadeh, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,471 also provide mechanisms which are of interest relative to achievement of the desired goals enumerated herein.
The present invention intends solution to certain deficiencies of the prior art by providing a reflector trim assembly which can also include a lamp socket mountable to the trim and which can be easily and rapidly mounted with positive securement within the interior of a lamp housing or can of a downlighting fite or similar lighting fixture. The invention includes assembly clip structure of improved characteristics capable of attachment to a reflector trim on a job site without the use of tools, thereby allowing reflector trim to be compactly packaged in a nesting arrangement for shipment to the job site. The present clip can rapidly be attached to the reflector trim without damage to the trim The invention further provides for improved positive retention of the reflector trim and any associated structure within the can with positive lamp positioning for optimal lighting performance and with snug fitting of the trim against a ceiling surface about a ceiling opening through which light is directed from the downlighting fixture. The improved structure of the invention provides finger-like projections having multiple points at distal ends of the projections, the structure acting to xe2x80x9csnugxe2x80x9d the reflector trim against the ceiling about the opening to prevent the existence of an unsightly gap between the trim and the ceiling, thus preventing light leakage and providing a clean appearance. The advantages of the invention are realized with net cost reductions in manufacturing, product shipment and job site installation.
The invention particularly provides improvement upon the clip disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,143, the disclosure of which is incorporated hereinto by reference. The present clip structure has in common with the clip of the patent the ability to mount a reflector trim and any associated structure within a downlighting fixture xe2x80x9crough-inxe2x80x9d. The present clip can be easily and quickly pulled onto a penultimate body portion of a reflector trim and locked thereto by means of a fitting of a locking tab of the clip into an aperture formed in the reflector trim the clip thus being positively secured to the reflector trim manually and without the use of tools. Two of the xe2x80x9cpull-onxe2x80x9d clips are mounted one each to each side of the trim although it is to be understood that more than two of the clips could be used as desired. Regardless of the number of clips used, the clips are regularly spaced about upper portions of the reflector trim and are attachable thereto without the use of tools. The structure of the present clip allows attachment thereof to the reflector trim at a job site, thereby allowing reflector trim to be compactly packaged and shipped to the job site with optimum economy. Use of the present pull-on clips provides positive lamp positioning on single motion insertion of the reflector trim assembly into a lamp housing or can with improved fitting of a trim flange of the reflector trim assembly against ceiling surfaces about an opening above which a downlighting fixture is mounted to provide a clean appearance and to prevent light leakage.
The attachment end of the improved pull-on clip of the present invention particularly includes a locking tab similar to the locking tab disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,143, with the exception that the locking tab of the present structure is taken to be approximately twice as long as the locking tab of the patent. The locking tab of the present invention is also provided with an angled lead-in element formed distally of the locking tab to facilitate assembly of the clip to the reflector trim without damage to portions of the trim over which the locking tab must pass in order to reach a slot formed in the reflector trim into which the locking tab snap-fits in order to positively mount the clip to the trim A xe2x80x9ctighterxe2x80x9d bend in formation of clipping elements of the clip eliminates undesirable xe2x80x9crockingxe2x80x9d of the clip once assembled and reduces effective retention forces.
The free end of the pull-on clip is bifurcated to form two finger-like elements each having sharpened points at distal ends thereof the points xe2x80x9cbitingxe2x80x9d into inner surfaces of the trim to effectively increase removal forces, thereby facilitating connection of the trim to the housing cam The finger-like projections of the clip are initially maintained slightly out of plane and flex independently of each other in order to improve positioning of the trim relative to the ceiling opening and to prevent dislodgment of the clip from engagement with the trim in an installed situation.
The pull-on clip of the invention is formed of spring steel having a thickness of approximately 0.02 inch in order to provide desired resiliency. The clip is further provided with a bend formed essentially medially of its length in order to provide the capability of snugging reflector trim portions up against a ceiling opening during a simple one-motion insertion of the reflector trim assembly into a lamp housing or can. The pull-on clip of the invention deflects on insertion into the interior of the can to hold the reflector trim assembly within the interior of the can by the spring force exerted by the clips attached to the trim.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved reflector trim assembly including associated structure which has pull-on clips manually mountable thereto without the use of tools and in a job site environment so that the reflector trim assembly can be inserted into a lamp housing or can in but a single motion with the pull-on clips acting to retain the reflector trim assembly within the can with positive positioning of lamping carried by the assembly and with positive engagement of annular flange-like lower portions of the reflector trim assembly about a ceiling opening above which a downlighting fixture xe2x80x9crough-inxe2x80x9d is mounted, the clip having an improved attachment end for facilitating mounting of the clip to the trim and an improved bifurcated distal end which improves the ability of the clip to maintain the trim assembly within the can.
It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanically simple and inexpensive pull-on clip which can be assembled to a reflector trim on a job site without the use of tools, thereby allowing operational economies in manufacture, product shipment and job-site installation, the pull-on clip being improved at the attachment end by the provision of a locking tab of a greater length which acts as a lead-in element which does not damage those portions of the reflector trim over which the locking tab must pass to find engagement with a slot formed in the reflector trim for receiving the locking tab, thereby to lock the tab within the slot and therefore positively mount the clip to the trim, the tab preventing the clip from being pushed back and forth and/or off the trim during installation and handling.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an inexpensive pull-on clip for retaining a reflector trim assembly within the interior of a lamp housing or can of a downlight fixture xe2x80x9croughingxe2x80x9d, the clip being locked in place on a reflector trim by a simple and rapid linear pull-on motion of the clip relative to the trim to lock the clip in place on said trim, the improvement further comprising a bifurcated distal end having flexible finger-like elements which are preferably initially out of plane and which flex to engage sharpened points thereof with inner wall surfaces of the trim to engage the trim and to snug the trim in place about an opening formed in the ceiling.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent in light of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.